"College admissions officers did not know what to expect heading into this year's application period. They wondered if the recession would drive students toward in-state or public colleges and away from more expensive ones - or committing to any college at all," Baltimore Sun reports. "Despite evidence that such trends occurred nationally, Maryland admissions officers are generally relieved at how little change they have observed in the state. Students applied and committed to Maryland colleges and universities, public and private, at robust levels this spring.It's somewhat surprising that Maryland students did not flood into the University System of Maryland from private and out-of-state schools, said Jacqueline King, assistant vice president of policy analysis at the American Council on Education. "It suggests that our economy in Maryland is better than in a lot of other states," King said. "It also shows that helping kids do what they want with higher education is something families prioritize here.""